Inspectors condemn £2bn adult learning scheme

Education inspectors yesterday condemned a £2bn government drive to improve basic literacy and numeracy levels as a "depressing" failure.

The Skills for Life scheme aimed to encourage more adults to develop their abilities in English and maths. But the Adult Learning Inspectorate said the programme was not achieving its main aim of helping people from the poorest backgrounds.

In its annual report it said: "There has been a depressing lack of improvement and a failure effectively to tackle weaknesses over the past four years ... despite an extraordinary injection of funds."